in 1907, she enrolled in graduate courses at Columbia University, and, while staying at the settlement on the Lower East Side, investigated the conditions of women working in local factories.
U.S. entry into World War I increased the need for female labor and expanded the scope of her activities to include Federal employment services in the state.
When funding for public employment bureaus declined, Odencrantz took a position in private industry as personnel manager for a silk manufacturer.
At a time when the country had turned isolationist, she joined colleagues in founding the International Industrial Relations Institute and attended several conferences in Europe; in 1925 she was elected vice president of the organization.
After the silk factory closed, she produced a job study of social work, directed an employment agency for disabled workers, and became a strong advocate for the inclusion of this marginalized group.